Abuses and the mass-How far is too far?

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luisvera

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You see, a little background first, let’s say i’m a revert (spend a loong while going around “radical traditionalism” (SSPX, sedevacantist, etc) and Eastern Orthodoxy, now, i’m back to being a catholic but i have a question

You see, mass in the parishes around me are quite…well, unconventional to say the least

I mean generally it goes well and normal but sometimes there are stuff such as guys in costumes going around (granted, that only happened once) the priest inserting words that don’t go in the Eucharistic Prayers or the Offertory (that has happened a few times) or the priest suddenly singing a child song after communion (no comments)

Does that make those Masses illicit? I feel anxious and sad, i want to go to Mass, but i’m unsure if i can go on good conscience knowing those things are likely to happen, what must i do?
 
I never asked if they made them invalid, onlyif it made them illicit
 
luisvera said:
I never asked if they made them invalid, onlyif it made them illicit
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No liturgical abuse is licit. The Sacrament is still valid. Perhaps God has sent you there to intercede for the purity of the Church? Do what a saint would do.
 
These situations are hard because frankly, there isn’t much you can do about it. You can talk to the priest but it’s unlikely he will change. If you go to the bishop you will be ignored. So you’re main choice is to change yourself. Look for the good – you’re receiving Christ in the Eucharist – and work on distancing yourself from your negative feelings.
 
It would take something egregious to make a mass illicit, such as omitting all but the actually words of consecration (absent those, the mass would be both illicit and invalid). Anything less is incorrect, but should not cause the faithful undo distress.
 
There are two parishes i know of i can go, went to the nearest one yesterday…i got a bit late but there wasn’t anything outrageous in the liturgy, there was a new priest,it was a solid by the book celebration, i liked it very much but maybe next sunday i could try the other one near to see how that goes (a few years ago there was a really old really conservative really pius priest there, it was life changing, so sad he had to retire, the current priest weeelll) but i think i’d rather stay in the nearest, no liturgical abuses on view, everything quite fine,no need to go for something unknown i guess
 
Seriously thanks for your prayers and your comments, quite spot on
 
luisvera said:
but i’m unsure if i can go on good conscience knowing those things are likely to happen
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It is the priest’s job to do the liturgy properly. It is the bishop’s job to watch over the priests. Your job is to go to Mass. The priest knows what he is doing. The bishop, no doubt, knows what the priest is doing. It would be nice if all priests could follow the rather simple rules regarding the liturgy. But that isn’t what happens.

It isn’t really your job to fix these things. It is your job to pray for those who don’t do as they should.

Psychologically it is often good to learn to not worry about things. Not that what happens isn’t wrong but that we can’t, on our own, make everything right. I like the Serenity Prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
 
While not a popular view on the internet, I cringe when folks cry “abuse” at things that are irregular or even contrary to the norms except when those things done intentionally that render the Mass invalid.
 
People may use abuse wrongly but changing words, adding words, removing words, and changing the word order is abuse. That is the right word for it. Some may be relatively minor but it remains abuse.
 
Maybe you should just start attending the EF again. We both know you don’t see those ridiculous abuses there.
 
Yes, but that may not be possible, and the OP may prefer the OF, done reverently and well (as the majority of OF masses are done)
 
I will probably not be very popular, but what here is an acutal abuse?

What kind of costume? You said it’s only once. On the Sunday close to St. Nicholas day, our Deacon dresses up as St. Nicholas and tells his story for the Children’s Mass. We have another deacon who has dressesd as John the Baptist for the same thing. So, while not proper for every day, in context, there is nothing wrong with that one.

OP, you say the priest is adding/adlibbing words. Are you absolutely sure, or is he using a Eucharistic prayer you are not familiar with.? And is it done with intent, or is there the occasional mis-spoken or skipped word? It happens because the priest is human.

As far as the priest singing after Communion, there is a rubric that says a communion mediation can be sung. It does not say who or what it should be. You do not say what the priest sang, but again, we had one who, during the Children’s Mass used to sing “This little light of mine”. The people loved it, so he incorporated it into at least one Mass a month.

When we use the word abuse, we need to make sure what we are witnessing is an actual abuse and not something that just upsets what we think should be happening.
 
Only if done with intent. Mis-speaking or having a brain freeze does not an abuse make.
 
I think abuse would have to be intentional. We’ve seen cases here where people post about clery accidentally jumbling words and then asking if it’s abuse or if the mass was valid or licit. I think that is why a lot of posters here are weary whenever the subject of abuse is brought up.
 
Everything you just named are grave liturgical abuses to the point I would walk out.

Unless your a Protestant?
 
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